Impact of PBTL on the Success of Underserved Students in Undergraduate Biology Courses

Impact of PBTL on the Success of Underserved Students in Undergraduate Biology Courses Author’s Name: Shelby Diener Faculty Mentor: Bethany Bowling Department: Biological Sciences The use of active learning techniques in science courses has been shown to increase student success, particularly students coming from underserved backgrounds. More recent research has begun to focus on specific ways to optimize active learning. In this study we analyzed the impact of problem-based team learning (PBTL) on underserved populations including first-generation college (self-reported), low-income (determined by Pell grant eligibility), and/or under-represented minority (self-reported) students. PBTL increases student engagement and teamwork, while reducing lecture time. We compared the percentage of underserved students who received a D, F, or W grade in a genetics course in the semesters before (2010-12) and after PBTL was implemented (2013-15). From the analysis it is clear that PBTL had a positive impact on student success rates overall, however there was not a disproportional impact on underserved students. To further the research, data is currently being analyzed from an introductory biology course to determine the impact of PBTL. The goal of this research is to improve student success in undergraduate science courses and disseminate impactful practices

Quality of Life of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease in 15 Countries

Measuring quality of life (QOL) is fundamental to understanding the impact of disease and treatment on patients' lives. This study aimed to explore QOL in an international sample of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), the association between patient characteristics and QOL, and international variation in QOL and its relationship to country-specific characteristics. We enrolled 4,028 adults with CHD from 15 countries. QOL was assessed using a linear analog scale (LAS) (0 to 100) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (5 to 35). Patient characteristics included sex, age, marital status, educational level, employment status, CHD complexity, and patient-reported New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class. Country-specific characteristics included general happiness and 6 cultural dimensions. Linear mixed models were applied. Median QOL was 80 on the LAS and 27 on the SWLS. Older age, lack of employment, no marriage history, and worse NYHA functional class were associated with lower QOL (p <0.001). Patients from Australia had the highest QOL (LAS: 82) and patients from Japan the lowest (LAS: 72). Happiness scores and cultural dimensions were not associated with variation in QOL after adjustment for patient characteristics and explained only an additional 0.1% of the variance above and beyond patient characteristics (p = 0.56). This large-scale, international study found that overall QOL in adults with CHD was generally good. Variation in QOL was related to patient characteristics but not country-specific characteristics. Hence, patients at risk for poorer QOL can be identified using uniform criteria. General principles for designing interventions to improve QOL can be develope